Mass Effect Novel Reviewed

Many gamers are eagerly awaiting the Xbox 360 Bioware RPG Mass Effect, but not as many are likely familiar with Mass Effect Revelation, a science-fiction novel by Drew Karpshyn fleshing out the backstory of the game and serving as a sort of prequel.

Ars Technica staffer Frank Caron reviewed the book, describing it as "a a quick and informative read that never dwelled too long on any single tangent while exploring enough to inform me about the universe at hand."

The storyline of the novel centers on the discovery of an alien base on Mars, where an ancient race is encountered and leave an indelible mark on the humans.

It sounds rather trite but Caron assures us that certain charactors and factions are fleshed out quite nicely, though others complain that the novel serves too much as a mere backdrop to the game itself.